Your mission and the needs of your community should drive your grantmaking—not what your technology can or cannot do. But making the move to a grant management system (GMS) or switching to a system that better fits your organization, is no small undertaking.

The right system can streamline your application process, simplify your record-keeping, and lessen the burden on your grantees. But the wrong system can cause unnecessary disruption, frustrate your employees, and delay the awards your grantees rely on.

To help you find a grant management system that supports your grantmaking both today and in the future, here are five questions to ask your technology vendor to see if you are getting software that can power your impact.

1. Can the system manage our entire grant lifecycle?

When the goal is to effect real change for the causes and communities you support, you should be spending the least amount of time possible on data entry and paperwork. From working with your applicants and reviewing proposals to granting awards and tracking progress, look for a solution that can streamline and simplify your grants management processes from start to finish.

This includes database functionality that helps you know who is applying and how often they apply, and an online application portal that integrates directly with your CRM. You’ll want to see a reviewer portal that can handle the types of reviews you want—internal or external—and automated workflows so decisions are made faster, and your grantees get their funding sooner. Also look for integrations with your fund accounting software so you can quickly track how much of your program budget has been spent.

2. How does the system help us track and measure outcomes?

Philanthropy is transforming, and grantmakers across the sector are investing in the shift from, “How many dollars did we give?” to “What outcomes have our dollars achieved?” Refining your approach to tracking and measurement doesn’t happen overnight, and you need powerful tools to enable you to build reports and dashboards that help you make strategic decisions.

The outcomes that matter to your organization and your community are different from other foundations. And you might have funding programs with different goals. You’ll want intuitive dashboards that can be configured to each program while also rolling up to provide a holistic view of your entire program.

3. Is the system customized or configurable?

When it comes to software, this is an important distinction. With a platform customized specifically to your organization, you’re in a peer group of one with a static system, and software updates are typically infrequent, time-consuming, and costly.

With a configurable solution, implementation is quicker, system updates are much smoother, more frequent and usually free, and you’ve got a built-in community to tap for best practices. Configurable systems, like Blackbaud Grantmaking, often have continuous updates with new functionality launching regularly.

Look for the vendor’s road map to understand their priorities for innovation and how they plan to improve the system in the next six months and beyond.

4. How does the system keep our data secure?

It should come as no surprise that storing your grantmaking organization’s sensitive data in standalone spreadsheets isn’t exactly the most secure method. When you look at a technology vendor to power your operations, ask how much they’re investing in data security and encryption, as well as evidence of compliance and certifications (here’s Blackbaud’s security page) to validate their answers.

In addition to how the vendor keeps your data secure, look for opportunities for internal controls for strong data management. Ask about user permissions and ways to set access based on least privilege. How easy is it to delete user and grantee information that you no longer need, such as birth dates for graduated students—when you can use graduation year instead.

5. How does the system support collaboration and ongoing learning?

When it comes to achieving your mission, you don’t want to go it alone. Look for grantmaking technology that supports your efforts to collaborate effectively with grantees and other partners. See if the vendor provides access to a community of like-minded change-makers to promote continual learning and advancement of industry best practices.

Look for thought leadership webinars that help you learn about changes happening in grantmaking as well as courses to help you and your staff make the most of the system. Ask about the implementation process early in your conversation with the vendor—do they have internal experts who understand your organization and the software, or will you have to hire an external consultant or manage the implementation process internally?

6. Bonus: How does your grant management system integrate with other tools, like fundraising and finance?

Technology like APIs is making it easier for all your systems to connect, improving accuracy, eliminating duplicative manual data entry, and breaking down information silos. Ask your vendor about native integrations between the systems you currently use, and opportunities to connect your key software. Integrating your different software solutions helps data move through your system faster and improves the accuracy of your data.

Make an Informed Decision for Your Organization

Choosing the right grant management system is crucial for the success of your organization and the impact you want to make. The right system will streamline your processes, improve efficiency, and help you achieve your goals. Take the time to explore your options, ask the right questions, and make an informed decision that will benefit your organization and the communities you serve.